Garment-holding form



March 27, 1928.

c. H. THAI! GARMENT HOLDING Poll Fund Ann-15. 1924 Patented Mar. 27,1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. 'IHABP, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ABBIGNOR 1'0 HONTGOmY WARD &COMPANY, 01' CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

, oammmr-nonnme roam.

Application filed August lfi, 1924. Serial No. 782,697.

The resent invention has to do with that type garment ho'lding formsused for the shipment of articles of ap arel, such as suits of clothes,dresses, etc., an employed by mail 5 order houses for preserving theshape of the garments While the latter are in transit to theirpurchasers.

A variety of such forms previously has been devised and used. Ordinarilythe are constructed from cardboard and the li e to ermit their readymanufacture and convenlent storage. In adapting the same for use theyare folded to provide the requisite supporting contour, and suitablemeans employ- 1 ed for holding the same in the folded or assembledposition. But because of the temporary character and use of these formseconofn in manufacture and assembly, both as to abor and material, is anessential desideratum, and is particularly necessary when the forms areused in large quantities, as in mail order houses.

The present invention aims to provide a arment holding form of the typeabove reerred to which will have the desired strength and stiffness toresist folding and crushing, which is designed to avoid catching ongarments of light material and which possesses characteristics whichenable its being cheaply and easily'manufactured. These objects areaccomplished by improvements in the arrangement for supporting andsecuring the folded portions of the form in assembled position, and byconstruction which is very economical in both material and the labornecessary for its manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will. be apparent as thenature of the improvements is better understood, the inventionconsisting substantially in the novel construction, combination andarrange ment of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is disclosed herein illustrativeof the adaptation of the invention tothe uses for which it is intended,but this disclosure is" merely to indicate the application of theinvention, and is not to be considered in a restricting or limitinsense.

In the rawings, Fig. 1 is a face elevation of a garment holding formconstructed in accordance with the present invention form. It isessentially rectangular in general configuration and is constructed ofcardboard or similar material, such as is used in the manufacture ofthese forms of this type. At the mid-portion of the body 10, and at thatedge thereof which constitutes the upper edge whenthe form is sus endedin vertical osition, there is provided a suspending tab 11 having anopening 12 for receiving a hook or other support from which the form ishung. Preferably the tab 11 is of double thickness of the material, asillustrated in Fi 2, the tab 11 being of sufficient length to e foldedupon itself, and thereby to provide the double thickness in question.

At the sides of the suspending tab 11 the body 10 inclines or slopes tothe edge portions of said body, as at 13, at the marginal portions ofwhich inclined or sloping areas are located oppositely disposed taperingshoulder pads 14 of arched formation. Bein" arched, the shoulder ads 14possess an inherent strength which insures the proper support of theshoulder portions of the garment without liability of the padscollapsing, and also eliminating the use of fastening devices, except toa minimum extent, for holding the supporting pads 14 in their foldedposition with respect to the body 10.

Connected to each of the shoulder supporting pads 14, at the edgethereof which is free before being folded into assembled relation withrespect to the body 10, is a fastening flap 15. Each of these fasteningflaps 15 is of generally triangular confi uration when folded under theshoulder pa "will lie against the front of the body portion with hebroad or basal ortion adjacent to one edge of the latter, the fasteningflap tapering therefrom towards the inner end of the shoulder pad. Theform of the pad is such that in its folded position its outer end setsback from the adjacent edge of the body 10. This exposes a substantialarea of the outer or broad end of the fastening flap 15, whereby tofacilitate the application of a suitable tool for effecting fastening ofthe flap 15 to the body 10. The tool, therefore, may be inserted intothe cut away end of the pad, after the latter has been folded intoposition with respect to the body 10, and thus permit the application ofthe fastening device 17 for securing the pad to the body 10. Preferably,the fastening device 17 is a staple. It penetrates the body 10 and thefastening flap 15, its ends being turned into engagement with thematerial through which they have penetrated. Due to the tapering orconic form of the arch pad, the single fastenin at the outer end of theattaching flap 15 is all that is required to retain the pad 14 inits-arched or folded form. Thus I avoid weakening the body portion byslots or the like and the inner end of the pad 14, though left free, ismaintained in proper folded relation to the body 10 to insure the padeffectually supporting the shoulder portions of the garment which hasbeen placed upon the form. As thus assembled, there are no corners oredges left exposed in position such as to catch the fabric of a garmentas it is placed on or removed from the form.

The form is provided with a transverse slot 18 the length of which issufficient to permit the leg portions of a pair of trousers to beintroduced therein, and the trousers suspended from the form.

In Fig. 3 is disclosed the construction of the blank from which the formis produced. The suspending tab 11 is scored on a transverse line 19 topermitit to be folded back upon itself, as illustrated in Fig. 2. Theline of fold of each of the shoulder pads 14 with respect to the body10, is on a line of scoring 20, said lines being prolongations of theinclined or sloping edges 13. The line of fold of the fastening tab 15of each of the pads 14 is on a line of scoring 21, and to facilitate thearching of the pads 14 that face of each of the same, which becomes theinner face thereof in the folded or assembled relation of the pads tothe body, is scored on radial .lines 22. The scoring lines 2 CERTIFICATEOF "CORRECTION.

PIN!!! No. 1,663.55.

penetrate the pads 14 only sufliciently to facilitate the archingthereof, and thus do not mar the outer surfaces of said pads, nor arethey visible from the outer surface when the pad is folded although theymay cause it to take a polyhedral or pyramidal form instead of a regularcurve.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the sent invention providesa garment hol ing form which may be manufactured with the highest degreeof economy both in oint of material and labor employed. here is but asingle fastening, in the form of the staple 17, for each of the shoulderpads, to hold the latter in sup orting relation with respect to the body0 the form, and the cut away ends 16 of the pads 14, together with theshape and configuration of the fastening tabs 15, enable the staples 17to be quickl and easily applied. The pads are very rigid and present noprojeciing corners or e ges to catch the materia I claim:

1. In a garment holding form of the class described, a body portion, anarched shoulder supporting ad folded to overlie the body portion, aastening flap connected to the shoulder supporting pad and folded at anangle thereto to lie in contact with the body portion, the outer end ofthe fastening flap being exposed at the front beyond the outer end ofthe shoulder supporting pad, and fastening means applied to the exposedend of the fastening flap and the body portion to hold the shouldersupporting pad in arched relation to the body.

2. In a garment holding form of the class described, a body portion, ashoulder supporting pad folded in tapering arched form over the surfaceof the body portion. a tapering fastenin flap connected at the free edgeof the shou der supporting pad and lying in contact with the bodyportion, and means at the broader end of the fastening flap for securingthe latter to the body portion to retain the shoulder pad in archedform.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

CHARLES H. THARP.

Granted March 27. 1928,

CHARLES H.

- It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the -.abnvc-mbcrcd patent requiring correction as to word"configuration" insert the word "and"; page rel "surface"; and that thesaid Letters Patent should be read with these corrections,

llows: Page 1. line 101, after the 2, line 54. for the word "surfaces"therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in thePatent 0 ice.

Signed and scaled this 1st day of May, A. D. 1928.

(San ll M. J. Moore,

Amine Commissioner ofhtmljback from the adjacent edge of the body 10.This exposes a substantial area of the outer or broad end of thefastening flap 15, whereby to facilitate the application of a suitabletool for effecting fastening of the flap 15 to the body 10. The tool,therefore, may be inserted into the cut away end of the pad, after thelatter has been folded into position with respect to the body 10, andthus permit the application of the fastening device 17 for securing thepad to the body 10. Preferably, the fastening device 17 is a staple. Itpenetrates the body 10 and the fastening flap 15, its ends being turnedinto engagement with the material through which they have penetrated.Due to the tapering or conic form of the arch pad, the single fasteninat the outer end of the attaching flap 15 is all that is required toretain the pad 14 in its-arched or folded form. Thus I avoid weakeningthe body portion by slots or the like and the inner end of the pad 14,though left free, is maintained in proper folded relation to the body 10to insure the pad effectually supporting the shoulder portions of thegarment which has been placed upon the form. As thus assembled, thereare no corners or edges left exposed in position such as to catch thefabric of a garment as it is placed on or removed from the form.

The form is provided with a transverse slot 18 the length of which issufficient to permit the leg portions of a pair of trousers to beintroduced therein, and the trousers suspended from the form.

In Fig. 3 is disclosed the construction of the blank from which the formis produced. The suspending tab 11 is scored on a transverse line 19 topermitit to be folded back upon itself, as illustrated in Fig. 2. Theline of fold of each of the shoulder pads 14 with respect to the body10, is on a line of scoring 20, said lines being prolongations of theinclined or sloping edges 13. The line of fold of the fastening tab 15of each of the pads 14 is on a line of scoring 21, and to facilitate thearching of the pads 14 that face of each of the same, which becomes theinner face thereof in the folded or assembled relation of the pads tothe body, is scored on radial .lines 22. The scoring lines 2 CERTIFICATEOF "CORRECTION.

PIN!!! No. 1,663.55.

penetrate the pads 14 only sufliciently to facilitate the archingthereof, and thus do not mar the outer surfaces of said pads, nor arethey visible from the outer surface when the pad is folded although theymay cause it to take a polyhedral or pyramidal form instead of a regularcurve.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the sent invention providesa garment hol ing form which may be manufactured with the highest degreeof economy both in oint of material and labor employed. here is but asingle fastening, in the form of the staple 17, for each of the shoulderpads, to hold the latter in sup orting relation with respect to the body0 the form, and the cut away ends 16 of the pads 14, together with theshape and configuration of the fastening tabs 15, enable the staples 17to be quickl and easily applied. The pads are very rigid and present noprojeciing corners or e ges to catch the materia I claim:

1. In a garment holding form of the class described, a body portion, anarched shoulder supporting ad folded to overlie the body portion, aastening flap connected to the shoulder supporting pad and folded at anangle thereto to lie in contact with the body portion, the outer end ofthe fastening flap being exposed at the front beyond the outer end ofthe shoulder supporting pad, and fastening means applied to the exposedend of the fastening flap and the body portion to hold the shouldersupporting pad in arched relation to the body.

2. In a garment holding form of the class described, a body portion, ashoulder supporting pad folded in tapering arched form over the surfaceof the body portion. a tapering fastenin flap connected at the free edgeof the shou der supporting pad and lying in contact with the bodyportion, and means at the broader end of the fastening flap for securingthe latter to the body portion to retain the shoulder pad in archedform.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

CHARLES H. THARP.

Granted March 27. 1928,

CHARLES H.

- It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the -.abnvc-mbcrcd patent requiring correction as to word"configuration" insert the word "and"; page rel "surface"; and that thesaid Letters Patent should be read with these corrections,

llows: Page 1. line 101, after the 2, line 54. for the word "surfaces"therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in thePatent 0 ice.

Signed and scaled this 1st day of May, A. D. 1928.

(San ll M. J. Moore,

Amine Commissioner ofhtmlj-

